Natural Bridge
Dreaming Creek Brewery

 

 

16 ounce can, no dating that I noticed on it, label says 6.7% ABV. My friend Denis purchased this at the brewery a couple weeks ago and was nice enough to bring me some brews back. Served in a Spiegelau IPA glass, the beer pours a not quite clear very dark golden color with about an inch or so off-white head. Head retention and lacing are both good. I like the aroma, the brew smells like grapefruit, orange peel, caramel, bready malt and tropical fruit. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some herbal/floral hops and pineapple flavors. Nice bitterness in the finish. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit sticky and coating with a moderate amount of carbonation. Thought this was a good overall brew, hope to try it at the brewery someday!

Pours really dark, especially for an IPA. Head was off white to tan, and left some lacing. Nose is unpleasant, sort of like a fish tank to be honest. Taste is malty, more than I expect with an IPA, but with the color I thought that might happen. Bitterness is below average. Ok beer.

Solid Amarillo-based IPA.

 

A: Pours a very slightly medium golden honey in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and moderate burnt orange + dark golden yellow + bright orange + apricot colored highlights. The beer has a two finger tall dense sudsy foamy light tan head that reduces to a handful of small patches of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of citrus/grapefruit + citrus/grapefruit pith + citrus/orange zest + tropical/pineapple + pine/resin hops over the top of moderate aromas of toasted + bready + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel sweetness.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of toasted + bready + caramel malts with a light to moderate amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by slightly stronger than moderate flavors of citrus/grapefruit + citrus/grapefruit pith + citrus/orange zest + tropical/pineapple + pine/resin hops which impart a light to moderate amount of lingering aggressive bitterness.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp initially with a light amount of dryness in the finish

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol and a decent amount of dryness + bitterness. Enjoyable with a more old school hop profile.

 

 

Bridging the gap between a drying malt backbone and the overcast of Amarillo hops, the taste of grapefruit, orange peel, pine and light tropical flavors are only natural.

Paying tribute to the eastern Kentucky landmark, Natural Bridge might as well apply to Dreaming Creek's IPA as the ale comes in a pale and gentle hazy form. Its scent of citrus, mild tropical fruit and freshly shaven spruce is backed up with a scent of caramel apple and butter pecan. Moderate sweetness starts out caramelized, nutty and toasty with the first sip.

But then the ale turns quickly bitter as the malt influence lessens and the hops rise. Pink grapefruit, dried orange peel and a hint of pineapple gives the ale its true Amarillo hop signature taste. Trending dryly of grassiness, torn pine needles and with a resinous grip to the gullet, the beer's late palate is bitter but not aggressively so.

Medium bodied throughout, the beer's hop bite comes with a green astringency that plagues the finish. Peppery with vegetation and persistent with butter pecan, the beer's utmost cleanliness and refreshment is hindered slighlty.